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Cape Council of Policy

601

1678-12-15

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Minute details

Entry number
601
Date
1678-12-15
Year
1678

English translation

According to annual custom, the respective colleges and, first of all, the church offices having been established, for which the nomination of a double number of persons, both for elders and deacons, was established in the church meeting and delivered by our Political Commissioner, namely Harmen Gresnicht and Elbert Diemer as elders, item Johannes Ravensbergh and Jan Wittebol as deacons, with the request to make the election from them. So, after deliberation, it was decided to first elect Jan Wittebol from the Comps. servants from the aforementioned double number of deacons, and to inform the reverend Church Council by our Political Commissioner that they would firstly like to nominate a double number of deacons from the citizenry; and that, with regard to the present deacon Joannes Pretorius, the ordinary term of his ministry having also expired, he would, according to all appearances, very much like to be discharged from that office, and that this would be inconvenient, especially since there was no shortage of suitable material for such a ministry among the citizens, it is especially important to continue it. And regarding the nominated number of elders, it is understood that the Reverend Church Council, according to custom, may proceed with the election if the appointed persons are satisfactory to us. Likewise, instead of the two outgoing members of the board of orphan masters, based on the traditional double nomination, the vendor Jacob Croon and citizen Willem van Dieden have been elected to the Council in their place.

Similarly, the sub-merchant Martinus van Banchem and Johannes Valkenrijck, from the Borgerraet council, have also been elected commissioners of marriage affairs, in place of the two outgoing members of the board of orphan masters who were both citizens.

Also, Harmen Ernst Gresnicht, elected as Borgerraads in place of the traditional nomination, has been elected. furthermore, in view of the request made by Gerrit van der Bijl, the Borger councillor, who will preside over the coming year as the oldest Borger councillor, having informed this council that, in view of the difficulties that such a position entailed, requiring him to spend much time, though not without prejudice, away from his own work. He declared this not to be at all convenient for him, as a man who had to earn his living with his own hands, and therefore requested to be released from it. Although this request appears to be well-founded, it is considered that other persons of a similar or similar profession, finding themselves unequipped for such positions, would always be able to excuse themselves from it, and yet still perform the duties. of which, for the benefit of the common good, it must and should be established. It is therefore agreed not to make any changes in this regard for the coming year, and to deny him his request in remonstrative terms.

Thus resolved and arrested in the Fort of Good Hope, date above.

[Signed:] CRUDOP.

[Signed:] DIRCQ JANSZ SMIENT.

[Signed:] J. CRUSE.

[Signed:] Ms. VAN BANCHEM.

[Signed:] JOH. RAVENSBERGH.

[Signed:] I present A. DE MAN, Secrts.

Original Dutch transcription

Naar jaarlijcxe gewoonte getreeden sijnde tot het versetten van de respective collegien en eerstelijck van de kerckelijcke bedieningen waar van de nominatie van dubbel getal persoonen soo tot ouderlingen als diaconen in de kerckelijcke vergaderinge op gestelt en door onsen Commissaris Politijc overgelevert namentlijck tot ouderlingen Harmen Gresnicht en Elbert Diemer, item Johannes Ravensbergh en Jan Wittebol tot diaconen, met versoeck uijt deselve d’electie te willen doen, Soo is na deliberatie goetgevonden uijt ‘t gemelte dubbel getal diaconen voor eerst te eligeeren Jan Wittebol uijt Comps. dienaars ende eerwaarde Kerckenraadt door onse politicque Commissaris bekent te maeken dat sij ten eersten andermaal gelieven nominatie te doen van dubbel getal diaconen uijt de borgerij; en dat ten opsichte den noch presenten diacon Joannes Pretorius d’ ordinarij tijt van sijn bedieningh mede g’expireert sijnde, na alle apparentie wel gaaren van dat ampt soude willen werden ontslagen, en oversulcx geen schick wesen, te meer altans aan geen bequaeme stof tot het becleden van sulcken bedieningh onder d’ borgers quam te ontbreken, denselven extraord. daarin te continueeren. En aangaande het genomineert getal ouderlin[gen] is verstaan dat de Eerwaarde Kerkenraadt volgens usantie met d’ electie daar uijt te doen sullen moogen voortgaan als ons d’ opgestelde persoonen latende gevalligh sijn.

Gelijck mede in plaats van de twee afgaande leeden van het collegie van weesmeesteren op het overgelevert dubbel genomineert getal persoonen bij den Raadt in desselffs plaats sijn g’eligeert den vendrigh Jacob Croon en borger Willem van Dieden.

Insgelijcx oock tot commissarisen van de huwelijcxse saken in plaats van de twee afgaande soo Comps. dienaars als borgers g’eligeert den ondercoopman Martinus van Banchem en Johannes Valkenrijck, out Borgerraet in welck collegie den eersten sal presideeren.

Soo mede tot Borgerraden in plaats van den afgaande op d’ overgeleverde nominatie verkoren Harmen Ernst Gresnicht; wijders oock gelet op het gedaan versoeck van den Borgerraet Gerrit van der Bijl die het aanstaande jaar als outste Borgerraet sal moeten presideeren aan desen Rade te kennen gegeven hebbende dat ten opsichte de moeijelijckheden die soodanigen bedieningh was mede brengende en waar door veel tijts doch niet sonder prejuditie van sijn eijgen werck moet vaceeren, ‘t welck hij verclaarde als een man sijnde die sijn kost met sijn handen most winnen gants niet gelegen te comen, derhalven versocht om daar van te moogen werden ontslagen en hoe wel dit versoeck op goede redenen gefondeert schijnt te wesen, doch daar en tegen geconsidereert dat andere persoonen van soodanigen off diergelijcke ambacht haar mede met sulcke ampten niet voorsien vindende, daar van altoos souden connen excuseeren, en egter ‘t waarneemen van dien tot voorstandt van ‘t gemeen nootsakelijck dient en moet werden bekleet, Soo is verstaan daarin voor het aanstaande jaar geen veranderinge te doen, en hem sijn versoeck in remonstrative termen t’ ontseggen.

Aldus geresolveert en g’arresteert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoop, datum ut supra.

[Signed:] CRUDOP.

[Signed:] DIRCQ JANSZ SMIENT.

[Signed:] J. CRUSE.

[Signed:] Ms. VAN BANCHEM.

[Signed:] JOH. RAVENSBERGH.

[Signed:] Mij present A. DE MAN, Secrts.